Easter weekend is a holiday weekend for many and a religious celebration celebrating the resurrection.

If you are celebrating then Happy Easter. If it is just an excuse to eat chocolate then have a lovely day.

These were some of the Easter shots photographer Alan Simpson took out and about in the last few days.

People in Edinburgh and the Lothians are being urged to think about their “digital legacy” after new research revealed just one in five people over 30 in the UK have referenced digital assets in their will.

The research from The Association of Lifetime Lawyers (formerly Solicitors for the Elderly) found that whilst 86% of UK adults over 30 have digital assets, just 20% referenced them in their will.

Digital assets are anything a person owns that exist in a digital format, rather than a physical one. This includes things like online banking, cryptocurrencies, social media accounts, email accounts and online storage.

The Association of Lifetime Lawyers is the UK-wide membership body for legal professionals supporting vulnerable and older people with expert advice and support.

Dot Mullally, partner with Edinburgh-based McDougall McQueen solicitors, said including reference to digital assets in a will can help minimise distress for loved ones after you die, and ensures they can access your important online accounts.

Ms Mullally said: “In today’s digital age, the majority of us now hold digital assets, whether that’s an online bank account or social media profile.

“Half of adults over 30 have a will, but a tiny number have considered their digital legacy.

“Without proper planning, your loved ones might not be able to access or manage these important parts of your life after you’re gone.

“It’s a good idea to keep a log of your accounts. Start by making a secure list with login details and passwords. Make sure it’s regularly updated and stored in a safe place, along with your will.

“Some online services, like Apple and Facebook, allow you to appoint a legacy contact to make decisions about your accounts after you die.

“It’s crucial that more people consider their digital belongings before they die to make it easier for friends and family to access their accounts.”

A stately home’s plans to host a European style wedding into the early hours of the morning have been cut short by licensing chiefs.

Gosford House, in East Lothian, had wanted to serve alcohol at the wedding in May from noon until 3am telling the licensing board it was a more traditional time for a European wedding.

However they have been ordered to call time on the bar at 1am after East Lothian’s Licensing Board chairperson told them “this wedding is in Scotland”.

The board was told that the couple who were holding the wedding were currently living in Spain and guests would be travelling to Scotland for the event.

Licensing policy in East Lothian restricts hours for selling alcohol until 1am at the latest and describes drinking time over 14 hours as ‘unreasonable’.

Representatives of the estate said the couple would be flexible over the start time for serving alcohol which could be later in the day as the ceremony itself was unlikely to start before 3pm and would accept a 2am shut down time.

After adjourning to discuss the application in private, the board ruled that 1am was as late a licence as it could issue.

Chair Councillor Lachlan Bruce said: “We understand different cultures have different traditions but this wedding is in Scotland and our policy is that 1am is the terminal hour. It is important we protect our policy.”

He was backed by fellow board member Councillor George McGuire who said: “It is great to see people coming to Scotland for a wedding but we have our policy for a reason and we have to uphold it.”

Gosford House is owned by the 13th Earl of Wemyss and March and sits in an estate of 5,000 acres of parkland and coast.

Questions were raised by the board over the application being made for an occasional licence for the wedding instead of a premises licence which carries more controls.

They were told the Wemyss family, who use the house as their Scottish home, did not want CCTV installed in it, which was a condition of a premises licence.

Councillor Bruce urged the venue to reconsider adding the outcome of the board’s decision may have been different if a premises licence was in place.

by Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A Scottish law firm has become the victim of a cyber attack by a Russian ransomware operator.

Scullion Law, which has offices on George Street Edinburgh, as well as in Glasgow, Hamilton and Madrid, had 155GB of data stolen in the attack by Black Basta.

A spokesperson for the award-winning firm said: “We can confirm that we were recently the victim of a cyberattack.

“We promptly notified the ICO and The Law Society of Scotland, and have been working with the police, external IT and legal experts.

“In compliance with our obligations, we promptly notified those individuals whose data is known to have been affected. Thanks to the hard work of our team, we have been able to overcome the attack and our business is fully operational.

“As there is an ongoing police enquiry, we are not able to provide any further information.”

The cyberattackers posted a series of screenshots showing what it had seized, as reported in Scottish Legal News.

Jude McCorry, CEO of Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland, said: “We are very concerned with the level of cyberattacks that have been occurring over the last few weeks affecting Scottish companies — and are urging organisations to make themselves as cyber resilient as possible, and also to think of the data that they are custodians of and what would happen if this data was leaked or sold on the dark web.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We received a report of a cyber incident having impacted a company based in Hamilton, on Wednesday, 21 February, 2024.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”

Danyon Hume says that his Berwick Jewson Bandits side means business after rattling in seven heat maximums in winning the the first leg of the Border Trophy 56-34 in the Borders.

The winter signing, one of five Bandits’ debutants on the night, top scored with 12 points and set the home side on their way with a stunning victory over visiting big guns Craig Cook and Claus Vissing in the opening heat.

Cook crashed out of the meeting with a suspected broken thumb in his second ride and that misfortune, as well as costing Workington a 5-1, put their inexperienced middle order under huge pressure.

Former Bandit Vissing and. to a lesser extent Troy Batchelor. kept Workington afloat, two 5-1s from the final three heats giving the scoreline a sheen of respectability.

Bandits showed strength in depth with reserves Bastian Borke and Freddy Hodder rattling in eight points each. Jye Etheridge was also among the points and Berwick dominated despite modest returns from their top two of Rory Schlein and Lewis Kerr.

Finnish racer Antti Vuolas was the pick of Comets debutants and and German Celina Liebmann was gifted her first professional point in Britain when teammate Sam McGurk suffered mechanical problems.

Drew Kemp was unlucky to shed a chain at the start of heat three and was fined by referee Graeme Hunter for not leaving the track. Hunter put on the red lights with Kemp parked next to the kerb at the start line with Vuolas and Tate Zischke on a 5-1. Workington’s sense of injustice was heightened when Etheridge took a tapes to flag victory in the rerun.

Young Dane Borke overcame some sluggish gating with two tremendous swoops off the fourth bend banking at Shielfield while Hodder’s bravery to roar past Batchelor down the back straight had a healthy opening night crowd roaring its approval.

The second leg of the challenge match is scheduled for Workington on Sunday and Hume added: “It was an enjoyable night both personally and as a team.

“Winning well is a good start to the season and I think we showed that Berwick are a solid team unit and also that we mean business this season.”

Glasgow Tigers are the next visitors to Shielfield Park on Saturday in the BSN Series.

Bandits: Lewis Kerr 4+2, Danyon Hume 12, Jye Etheridge 10+1, Drew Kemp 7+1, Rory Schlein 7+1, Freddy Hodder 8+3, Bastian Borke 8+2

Comets: Craig Cook 2, Claus Vissing 13+1, Antti Vuolas 4, Tate Zischke 2+1, Troy Batchelor 8+2, Sam McGurk 4, Celina Liebmann 1

PICTURE: Action from Saturday in the Borders by Taz McDougall

Plans to close two community hospitals and a care home to help plug a £10.8m funding gap in East Lothian have been approved despite being called a “betrayal of local communities”.

East Lothian Integration Joint Board members agreed plans to close  Belhaven Hospital and its care home facility Blossom House, in Dunbar, as well as the Abbey Care Home and the Edington Community Hospital’s vacant ward in North Berwick.

Fiona Wilson, the board’s chief officer, told the meeting the closures, along with cuts to funding for community services were the “least worst decisions” possible for the cash-strapped health service.

Board convenor Councillor Shamin Akhtar told the meeting she was supporting the plans with “disappointment and great regret”.

The board heard that in total 60 beds were being taken out of circulation as it looked to fill the funding gap for the coming year.

The Abbey Care Home has 30 beds but was described as no longer being ‘fit for purpose’. Residents are being supported to find alternative places to live with the aim to move them out by the end of the summer.

The Edington Hospital saw its nine bed in-patient ward close ‘temporarily’ in 2021 as staff were transferred to East Lothian Community Hospital because of staffing issues there.

The ward will now shut permanently and the Edington site will continue to offer community health services.

Belhaven Hospital had six hospital beds, an NHS managed nursing home at Blossom House with 11 beds and community health hub.

Marilyn McNeil, a non-voting member of the board, pointed out a consultation on provision of care for older people, started before Covid, was still ongoing and people had been told no closures would be made until alternatives were in place.

She said: “Is this a betrayal of the communities because they were told no decisions would be made until the consultation was complete.”

Officers acknowledged that the consultation had not been completed but said they had been forced to make the decisions faster than planned insisting feedback from the ongoing discussions with the communities had led their findings.

Councillor Akhtar told the meeting that she agreed with the feelings of the community.

She said: “Talking of betrayal, I feel the same, I am bitterly disappointed. We  continue to be one of the fastest growing areas in Scotland but also continue to be one of the worst funded.

“We are not asking for special treatment, we are just asking for fair funding.”

Councillor Akhtar said concern over the lack of funds for services in East Lothian had been raised with the Scottish Government over the last year in the hope some additional support would come but nothing had.

And she criticised the decision to push ahead with a National Care Service, telling the meeting: “We do not need a National Care Service which needs £14million to recruit 100 bureaucrats.”

The board was told failing to approve the cuts as part of a budget proposal for the year ahead would leave it unable to balance its books.

The board voted by seven to one to approve the recommended budget including the closures with only Councillor Carol McFarlane voting against it.

by Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Grange opened their account in the EuroHockey Club Trophy, Division One, with a 3-1 win over Ukraine-based Vinnitsa in Portugal in a game delayed for 40 minutes at half-time due to flooding.

Martin Shepherdson (pictured), the club’s team manager, praised his men saying this was a much-improved performance from the 4-0 defeat by Irish cracks Lisnagarvey in their opener in Lousada.

This, said Shepherdson, was a very strong Ukranian side but a short-corner conversions from Robbie Croll and Aidan McQuade put the Scottish champions 2-0 ahead. Their rivals pulled one back before the break.

Grange went further ahead after the enforced break with an open play strike from David Nairn who rounded the goalkeeper and tucked the ball away from a tight angle.

Shepherdson added: “There were chances at both ends but no goals and we now have a final pool game against the hosts Lousada (on Sunday).”

In their opening game, Grange went behind in the first quarter to Lisnagarvey when Ollie Kidd netted and chased the game after that. The Scots created opportunities but failed to take them and Andy Williamson and Kidd added to the total of their rivals.

Pressure in the fourth quarter saw Williamson net again to kill the game and Shepherdson said: “We put a lot into the game and were disappointed that we couldn’t match our recent (domestic) form.”

Unmarked Marley Watkins received the ball in space on the left edge of the Hearts’ penalty box. He looked up, picked his spot and then sent an exquisite shot with the inside of his right boot high into the net.

It was inch-perfect. Zander Clark, Hearts’ international goalkeeper, made a vain attempt to reach the ball but he failed and it bulged the net. Time 67 minutes.

The 18,000-plus Hearts fans in the crowd at this cinch Premiership clash fell silent. Cue joy for the 500-plus travelling support.

Watkins wheeled away, arms raised, and the London-born forward, who has two caps for Wales, was the toast of his team-mates.

He joined the Rugby Park outfit from Aberdeen after spells with Bristol City, Norwich City, Barnsley, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hereford United.

And the goal by the 33-year-old was significant as it secured a top six finish for the Ayrshire side who had fallen behind from a headed goal by Costa Rica international, Kenneth Vargas.

Unsurprisingly, Lawrence Shankland was involved in the move. He controlled a cross ball from the left with his chest and took it out wide on the right before cutting to the goal-line.

Then the Scottish international delivered an deft chip to the far post. Vargs did the rest under real pressure and it was a great way to celebrate signing a five-year deal with the Jame Tarts in midweek. It was his eighth of the season. Time 10 minutes.

Home fans must have felt that more goals would come against a physical side in a bruising clash which could have gone either way, but Derek McInnes’ men had some good chances of their own. 

Stuart Findlay glanced a header wide and Joe Wright saw his header graze the bar then Watkins headed from six yards on half-time. Clark managed to push the ball over the bar.

Shankland forced Dennis into a diving save in the first-half and Vargas had a sniff just after the break.

Late-on, the Rugby Park men blocked three shots at the edge of the box, but Killie boss McInnes felt his men were the ones most likely to score during the second period. 

That’s despite Hearts enjoying 60 per cent of possession during the 90-plus minutes against 39 from their rivals.

Steven Naismith, Hearts’ head coach, said the game was a hard one coming as it did after the international break, claiming his men have travelled extensively and they had one day to prepare.

He felt Killie’s goal could have been prevented in the build-up and added: “I’m frustrated as when we go 1-0 up we had some good play.”

McInnes said: “I was disappointed to lose the first goal but we had good chances in the first half and we were good value for at least our point.”

PICTURE: Kenneth Vargas feels the pain earlier this season against Hibs. Picture David Mollison 

Councillors in Edinburgh agreed in early March to remove the modal filters in the Braid Estate and also dismantle the Quiet Route.

The council is proceeding with the move which had most backing in a consultation – 47% – to reopen two roads – Braid Road and Braid Avenue to traffic, and construct a new cycleway which it is estimated will cost around £400,000.

This decision was discussed at length during the committee meeting, and has been hotly debated online since, but work has already begun to remove some of the measures which were installed during the pandemic.

Some residents in the Braid Estate have now set up a petition to stop the council from removing the modal filters and road closures, saying that it will increase the risk for cyclists and pedestrians. They also claim that to reduce costs the council plans on using second hand wands and plastic orcas to delineate the cycle lane after the Quiet Route is ripped out.

Spokes say in their latest Bulletin that main roads need segregated cycle lanes whereas residential streets need freedom from through traffic. This is they say the policy put forward in the council’s document Future Streets which sets out how the council will reduce congestion, improve conditions for those walking and cycling and also for those sitting outside a café or delivering to a business.

The cycling campaign group explains that deputations addressing councillors argued to retain the filters but claim that “a confusing mess of politics and a consultation, self-selected, omitting option costs and treated as a referendum, led to the perverse decision which officers plainly told councillors conflicted with their own policies”. Spokes also said that the through traffic had reduced by 39% and cut traffic speeds from 28mph to just 17mph, which they say suggests the speeding was due to through traffic or “rat-runners” and not residents.

Paul Findlay who is a local resident and behind the petition, joined the Critical Mass cycle from The Meadows to the Braids on Saturday and addressed the assembled cyclists before the event. He said: “We are asking the council to look again at this decision, ask yourselves, ask the residents, ask the people who use the quiet route what they want and what will benefit everyone – not just a few loud people who want to drive their cars in an unsafe manner.”

Ed Hawkins of Blackford Safe Routes spoke to the Transport Committee ahead of the decision, explaining why it was so important to the group to retain modal filters. He said: “Blackford Safe Routes are clear that modal filters are the only sensible option on residential streets. We welcome the officer recommendation for Whitehouse Loan of the revised option to that is retaining the full filter Strathearn Road and adding a new filter on Clinton Road. Modal filters reduce the risk of death and serious injury by 50% including for drivers.

“The safety of people has always been at the heart of Blackford Safe Routes. And we were reminded of how dangerous Edinburgh has roads are last week. Our committee member and her son were involved in a car crash with a speeding driver. She has suffered a broken neck and damage to her knee. Car crashes like this are a direct consequence of street designs that prioritise cars and speed, creating places where people feel unsafe. high traffic volumes and speeds can be designed out campaigners against modal filters ignore that there is a human cost.”

Mr Hawkins added there had been traffic evaporation of around 40% and that had not led to increased traffic on nearby streets, proving that the low traffic neighbourhood had worked.

The deputations and the councillors’ deliberations from 7 March can be watched online on the council webcast here.

Euan Hyslop is standing in the next UK General Election as SNP candidate for Edinburgh West.

Here he tells The Edinburgh Reporter his reasons for standing to become an MP, following his couple of years as an elected councillor for Drum Brae/Gyle ward.

Euan said: “I live in Craigmount with my partner and our 4-year-old boy who goes to nursery in Corstorphine. We own and manage two cafés in Corstorphine and Roseburn. I am the Councillor for Drum Brae/Gyle Ward and previously worked as a Pupil Support Assistant in local Schools and as a Support Worker for care experienced young people for a local charity here in the Constituency.

“I know all to well the impact that the Cost of Living Crisis is having on our local high streets and the living standards of families across the constituency. Like many of my neighbours, I’ve watched on with concern as the price of foodstuff and essentials have increased along with the profit margins of big business while families and local high streets struggle. The government needs to use all the tools at its disposal to tackle obscene price increases and support families through these increasingly difficult financial times. 

“I started my business in 2021 as we were emerging from lockdown and have fought to keep our heads above water throughout very challenging economic circumstances. We have a very strong small business community here in West Edinburgh and Queensferry – I am proud to be a part of it.

“More needs to be done to support our local high streets and improve the economic context for businesses looking to invest here. Our town centres could offer so much more than they currently do with the right economic strategy. My local high street of St. John’s Road has certainly seen better times and I’d like to see a renewed strategy for improvement here and across West Edinburgh. I recently brought a plan to the Council to have Queensferry Town Centre officially designated as a Town Centre in planning terms so that it too can benefit from investment and improvements. 

“In previous winters I opened my café in Corstorphine as a free and accessible ‘warm space’ and many residents are still struggling to pay their heating bills. I also brought forward a plan for the Council to open public buildings as warm, welcoming spaces.

“This crisis is still very real and won’t go away until the UK Government acts to bring down our energy bills which are the highest of any western European country. The cost of our gas and electricity bills here is a scandal and the government has just watched on as families live in fear of putting their heating on and as businesses close up shop because they cannot afford astronomical price increases. It is within the government’s power to act and they choose not to.

“I accept that many of my neighbours are not yet convinced that these issues would be better handled here in Scotland with independence, and many never will be – a position which I respect.

“However, a vote for me is a vote for the UK Government to do more to tackle the Cost of Living Crisis. My SNP colleagues and I will be demanding powers in Edinburgh to tackle the immediate pressures facing communities here: more powers to tackle energy prices and more powers to lift families and businesses out of this cost of living crisis.”

Campaigners battling plans to move a popular East Lothian family park to a new site have claimed a ‘secret’ council report on the plans is “utter nonsense”.

Plans to relocate East Links Family Park from its current home outside Dunbar to East Fortune in the county are described by the council’s economic development advisers as “supported by local business and good for food production”, campaigners say.

But they claim describing the move as a ‘relocation’ is misleading because the owners of the Dunbar site could bring a new operator in to continue the park once its current team move to the new site.

Stop the Theme Park spokesman David Johnston said East Lothian Council’s economic development officials have based their report on the new park on it having the same number of workers and visitors as the current one.

But he said: “Everyone can see that claim is nonsense. You won’t suddenly find double the number of people wanting to go to an East Lothian Theme Park. All that will happen is that neither park will thrive and the future of East Links, a key part of the area’s tourism offering, will be in doubt.”

Agents for Grant Bell who has applied for planning permission to move the family park to East Fortune, insist the claim is not misleading and have told the council what happens to the former site is not their concern.

Bell’s agents said: “East Links Family Park is the physical and intellectual property of Grant Bell, East Links Family Park is relocating, it is his brand.

“If Boots moves from North Berwick or Haddington, that shop unit won’t still be called Boots. If a new business moves in to Hedderwick Hill it cannot be called East Links Family Park.

“East Links Family Park is moving – this is not misleading nor have we tried to mislead anyone at any time.”

Mr Johnston said the economic development report on the move to East Fortune was not published publicly and an initial request for it to be released through Freedom of Information was turned down by the council before it was released on appeal.

He said: “Now we have got our hands on this report from economic development, we can see why they are trying to keep it under wraps.

“They say the theme park would be good for local businesses despite the two nearest and biggest businesses in the area submitting formal objections.

“They say covering fields with a theme park will boost food production which is nothing short of bizarre unless they are anticipating candy floss machines and ice cream stalls.

“The truth is two theme parks operating within six miles of each other will just carve up the visitor market leading to them both potentially failing.”

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “The economic development consultation response was released as part of an FOI request.

“There is no legislation that requires planning authorities to make consultation responses public, and it is therefore for each planning authority to decide whether or not to do so.

“East Lothian Council does not make consultation responses public on our Planning Portal. The planning case officer will however sometimes forward on consultation responses to the applicant. Other than this, the consultation responses will be summarised in our report of handling on the application or will be released as appropriate as a result of a Freedom of Information request.”

by Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A crash involving a private hire car and a minibus happened around 9.30 on Saturday morning.

A local said they heard an enormous bang at that time, and that they believed one of the drivers had been making a U-turn. By 10.30 emergency services were on the scene and the road was reduced to single file traffic.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were called around 9.30am on Saturday, 30 March, to a report of a crash involving a car and a minibus on St Johns Road in Edinburgh.

“Emergency services attended and several people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

“The road was closed for recovery and partially re-opened around 10.40am. Road users are thanked for their patience.”

Patricia Sheridan, the founder of the Moore House Group, has won recognition from the Great British Care Awards for her Outstanding Contribution to Social Care.

The award is said to reflect the “exceptional leadership” which she has shown in working with vulnerable children and young people. Moore House Group with its head office in Livingston has been in existence for about 35 years or more.

Mrs Sheridan said: “This recognition is not just a personal achievement but one that is also owed to the collective dedication and passion of our entire team at Moore House Group.

“Together, we strive every day to make a positive difference in the lives of those we serve. This award is a reflection of our shared commitment to excellence and our determination to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society.”

The judges said: “Patricia’s unwavering dedication to the well-being of over 1,000 children she’s cared for in the past six decades makes her a deserving recipient of this award.

“Her commitment to continuing excellence ensures that she remains a steadfast support for children and families for years to come.

“As a visionary entrepreneur, Patricia has established three organisations dedicated to supporting vulnerable children. She is equally passionate about cultivating a skilled and confident workforce to ensure the best possible experience for each individual under their care.”

At an awards ceremony in London for The 2024 Newspaper Awards in association with Fujifilm on Tuesday, The Edinburgh Reporter was “Highly Commended”.

Up against 20 other contenders in the Hyperlocal Newspaper of the Year category, which was heavily subscribed with more than 30 entries, the judges said: “To succeed, hyperlocal community newspapers have to be tenacious and innovative and are looking to constantly evolve.

“The category received entries from all corners of the country and judges were impressed with the high-quality of some of the titles that rivalled more established traditional, long-established weeklies.

“The Edinburgh Reporter does not cram its pages, leaving space to breathe and has a stunning front page format. You can really feel the character of the community through its pages.”

The Hyperlocal Newspaper of the Year category was won by The Peckham Peculiar and we shared their excitement at the awards ceremony. The judges said about The Peckham Peculiar: “Its passion for Peckham and its residents shone through on every page”.

The ceremony in London on Tuesday night was hosted by TV rugby sports presenter Mark Durden-Smith.

Gary Cullum, director of The Newspaper Awards, says: “For the second successive year The Newspaper Awards focused entirely on print, recognising the hugely important role that print continues to play.

“There’s no denying we live in the digital age, with tech giants commanding the advertisers’ pound. But, for many, newspapers and genuine, trusted news brands remain an essential part of daily life.

“The quality and quantity of entry to The 2024 Newspaper Awards is testament to the continuing resilience of the industry.”

The full list of winners was as follows:

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PRINTER OF THE YEAR: Newsprinters (The Times, The Sunday Times)
Highly Commended: Reach Printing Services – Watford (Daily Star, The Guardian)

NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEE/TEAM OF THE YEAR: Reach Printing Services – Reducing energy consumption
Highly Commended: The Irish News – Re-branding of The Irish News

INTERNATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR: Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (Germany)
Highly Commended: Børneavisen (Denmark)

REGIONAL NEWSPAPER PRINTER OF THE YEAR: Interpress NI (The Irish News)
Highly Commended: Iliffe Print (Grantham Journal, Bishop’s Stortford Independent, City A.M., Inside Magazines)

NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR: i newspaper
Highly Commended: The Guardian

REGIONAL NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR: The Irish News
Highly Commended: Yorkshire Evening Post

WEEKEND NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR: FT Weekend
Highly Commended: The Sunday Times

LOCAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR: The Impartial Reporter
Highly Commended: Lymington Times & New Milton Advertiser

HYPERLOCAL NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR: The Peckham Peculiar
Highly Commended: The Edinburgh Reporter

NATIONAL SUPPLEMENT/MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR (WEEKLY): Saturday (The Guardian)
Highly Commended: The Sunday Times Magazine

NATIONAL SUPPLEMENT/MAGAZINE (NON-WEEKLY):  LUXX (The Times)
Highly Commended: LUXURY (The Telegraph)

REGIONAL SUPPLEMENT/MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR: Belfast Telegraph Weekend (Mediahuis) and Velvet (Iliffe Media)

NICHE MARKET NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR: TLS
Highly Commended: The New European

The  Grade D final clash between local rivals proved one of the highlights of the Edinburgh Open squash tournament which has concluded at Edinburgh Sports Club.

The winner proved to be the hosts Thomas Myers, reigning UK under-13 champion, who saw off the challenge of Dean’s Michael Clarkson, by 3-1.

Another local winner, in Grade C, was Jamie Pearman from the Tyne Club, Haddington, who won in five games against Aberdeenshire’s Stewart Morrison.

Meanwhile, in the main events, Gina Kennedy, a Harvard |graduate who played football for Crystal Palace girls and who is the first English woman to win a Commonwealth Games squash gold medal, survived a five game challenge to defeat Nada Abbas and justify top seeding.

The men’s title went to Welshman Joel Makin who overcame Abdel Gawad in going one better than last year when he finished runner-up.

Musselburgh Racecourse has abandoned today’s (30 March) Virgin Bet Easter Saturday Race Day.

The East Lothian track took the difficult decision to call off the meeting after further rainfall this morning which made the course unsafe for jockeys and horses.

All ticket holders will be contacted with information on how to transfer their booking to another meeting or to receive a full refund.

Racecourse director Bill Farnsworth said: “Unfortunately racing has been abandoned. We had 15mm of rain yesterday and a further 3.25mm of rain this morning between 5am and 6am.

“It has been an incredibly wet winter and the ground is very wet. Normally Musselburgh could handle this kind of weather but the water table must be so high, that this has not happened.

“The ground is saturated in places and our priority must be the safety of the jockeys and the horses. It is very disappointing, we had a brilliant day lined up for our race goers and we are sorry to have to abandon racing.”

Concert pianist and Edinburgh resident, Susan Tomes, has written a new book called Women and the Piano which is available now.

This is a history told with the tales of 50 women’s lives.

Susan asserts that even the modern piano is designed with men’s hands in mind without considering women’s typically smaller hands.

She traces fifty women through the history of the piano with famous names such as Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn as well as some less well-known in this timely testament to women and music. 

Susan writes of now-famous names such as Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn, and also highlights overlooked women: from Hélène de Montgeroult, whose playing saved her life during the French Revolution, to Leopoldine Wittgenstein, influential Viennese salonnière, and Hazel Scott, the first Black performer in the United States to have a nationally syndicated TV show.
 
From Maria Szymanowska to Nina Simone, and including interviews with women performing today, this is a much-needed corrective to our understanding of the piano – and a timely testament to women’s musical lives.

Buy the book here.

British champion Dougie Selman has revealed how his year-long preparation paid off as he powered to glory in the Sri Chinmoy 100km road race held at Perth.

The Corstorphine AAC veteran, 35, hit the gym to improve his strength and durability, while also working on dealing with the mental challenge of running for more than six-and-a-half hours.

He also increased his training load and went on some “unfuelled” practice runs as he used his experience of finishing fifth in the same event in Northern Ireland on his debut 12 months ago.

The hard work reaped its rewards as Dougie claimed gold by 10 seconds, knocking 13 minutes and 20 seconds off last year’s time and his own CAAC club record in the process.

It also smashed the course record at North Inch Park and helped secure team gold for Scotland in the Anglo Celtic Plate home countries event.

Dougie said: “The preparations all went really well. I started beginning to prepare for this year’s race pretty much immediately after last year’s. The first thing I did was to get in the gym a wee bit more to try to make my body a bit more robust, in the hope that this would help me be able to handle a high training load and hold things together a bit more than I did last year in the latter stages.

I have had a lot of help from (performance coach) Rory Downie in that regard.

“I then aimed to get into good marathon shape in December to set me up for the training block. In terms of the training block itself, I largely just tried to take all of the things that worked well last time and just do more of that.

“My overall training volume was higher. I shifted the balance more towards low-end aerobic work and ran on some hillier routes a few times. I also did a few unfuelled runs, which I didn’t do any of last year. I think it pretty much all worked and got me into the best shape I could be on the day. I think it was worth it!”

Dougie timed his charge to perfection to take the title ahead of English pair James Turner and Joseph Turner in 6 hours, 34 minutes and 28 seconds.

He says he had confidence going into the event and put some of his lessons learnt to good use, including reaching for some flat Coke earlier in the race.

He adds: “I was definitely more confident, mainly because I had the experience of last year in the bank so I wasn’t going into the unknown this time. That being said, I don’t think you ever really know how it’s going to go in an event like that.

“The actual running tactics were pretty simple; you just go with the pace that feels realistic, stay patient and then just hang on as best you can. I did have more plans for how to deal with the psychological challenges this year, though, which were really all about how to keep my mental state as stable as possible. Having the Coke earlier this year was one of those things. It’s pretty minor but something as small as that can help to get you out of – or, even better, stop you going too far into – a dark hole.”

But the race wasn’t without its worries for Dougie, as two niggles bothered him shortly after the halfway mark.

He recalls: “I did feel pretty controlled and knew it was going quite well, but it can change so quickly that I was just trying to not overthink it. From about 50km I had a bit of discomfort in my left foot, and from about 60km my right calf was slightly twinging, so I was always a bit conscious of that and trying to manage my body through. 

“I didn’t really think about the splits much at all and didn’t really know what pace we were on until someone said 6:33 pace at about 75km. That was way faster than I thought I could run going into the race, but I was pretty sure at that point I was running at the right effort level so didn’t panic too much.”

Despite appearing in total command of the race on the final lap, Dougie insists he didn’t feel assured of victory until he neared the finish. And his kick for the line was almost matched by long-time friend and fellow CAAC member Tom Ferrington, who followed him up the home straight while filming the action.

Home favourite Dougie, who grabbed a Saltire before crossing the line, said “The point where I thought I was going to win was probably only about 800m from the finish – and even then I was running pretty scared all the way to the line!

“The support on the day was so good, it was absolutely amazing. A lot of friends and family were there and being a Scot on home soil meant I was getting a disproportionately large amount of support. I think Tommy was there pretty much twice a lap, so he put in as much of an endurance shift as I did!

“Going through for the last lap and then coming up the home straight felt so exciting. I’m so glad I was able to deliver a win. It’s a moment I will never forget.”

The son of an heroic Scots World War II stretcher bearer has spoken of his pride after his father’s medal for bravery in saving the lives of wounded comrades in the middle of a minefield was sold at auction.

Private John Bell of the Highland Light Infantry won the Military Medal (MM) for his gallantry in battle at Boersteeg, near the German Border, on 8 February 1945.

One of five stretcher men severely wounded in mine blasts after two had initially gone to help an injured German, he went from man to man administering life saving aid and ensured each one was carried to safety before he accepted aid for his own multiple wounds.

In his citation, Bell, from Leith, Edinburgh, was praised for acting “with complete disregard for his own safety” and setting “a splendid example to all ranks”.

Bell’s prized medal, presented to him by Field Marshal Montgomery, was among the highlights in Bonhams’ online Spring Home & Interiors Sale this week, where it fetched nearly £1,800.

The silver medal, inscribed “for bravery in the field”, was sold by his son Ian together with his late father’s prized letter of congratulations signed by King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Bell, 77, from Edinburgh, said afterwards: “My dad never spoke about his experiences in the war, but his Military Medal is something I’ve always had, up on my wall in a frame.

“I’m very proud of my dad but until now very few people were aware of what he did. The story of how he won the Military Medal is like something from a Hollywood film but it had never been told.

“By putting his medal up for sale at Bonhams I’ve had an opportunity to share his story and how he won it.

“In a way I’m sad to part with it but I’m very pleased to know it will be well looked after in its new home. It would be nice to think it might one day be displayed.”

Pte Bell’s citation reads: “During the attack on Boersteeg on the morning of February 8, 1945, two stretcher bearers went to pick up a wounded German lying near the railway track. In doing so, one of them stepped on a mine, severely wounding both.

“Private Bell and the remaining company stretcher-bearer at once went to their assistance, but he also stepped on a mine, which wounded both. A fifth stretcher-bearer trying to reach them was blown up and wounded.

“Private Bell, although suffering from multiple wounds, insisted on dressing all the wounded men and, in spite of knowing that he was in a dense anti-personnel minefield, moved from one to the other with complete disregard for his own safety.

“He completed all dressings but refused to allow himself to be attended to until he had seen that all the wounded had been carried clear of the minefield and evacuated by jeep. By this time he was suffering from shock and had to be evacuated by stretcher in a state of collapse.

“During this time enemy defensive fire was falling in the vicinity.

“The bravery and devotion to duty displayed by Private Bell may well have saved the lives of at least two of his comrades who were severely wounded and also set a splendid example to all ranks.”

Kenneth Naples, of Bonhams, said: “Private Bell’s Military Medal is evidence of his extreme bravery and selflessness on the battlefield. Bell and the other stretcher bearers went to the aid of a German soldier deep in a minefield and were wounded themselves.

“Despite his own injuries, and the obvious dangers all around, Bell dressed their wounds and ensured they were all safely evacuated before he accepted assistance for his own wounds.

“We had a steady stream of interest, and we are delighted that the medal will continue to be treasured.”

The Military Medal was awarded to personnel below commissioned rank for “acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire”. The award was replaced by the Military Cross in 1993.

Fife Flyers entertain fifth-placed Guildford Flames in the Elite League at The Fife Ice Arena on Saturday (19.15) and head coach, Tom Coolen, admitted: “We are in a dogfight here.”

That’s after Nottingham Panthers’ netminder Rok Stojanovic backstopped the Midlands side to a single goal victory in midweek which keeps their play-off hopes alive and puts Fife under real pressure to secure a slot in the top eight.

The red-hot netminder dealt with 29 shots on the night while 24 were fired in the opposite direction at Shane Owen in Fife’s net. He also had a fine game.

The puck got through once and the game-winner came after 46min 27sec through an unassisted strike from Otto Nieminen.

It was a savage blow to Fife who slip to eighth spot in the ten-strong table having accumulated 47 points from 50 games with only four remaining.

Dundee Stars thrashed Glasgow Clan at Braehead on Friday, winning 5-1 to move to seventh with 47 points from 50 games, Coventry Blaze are sixth with 47 points from 49 fixtures and Glasgow Clan have slipped to ninth and out of the play-off mix on 47 points from 50 starts.

Nottingham prop up the table with 43 points from 50 games while Guildford have 54 points from their 50 games and are out of sight.

Looking back at the Nottingham disappointment, Coolen said: “There were times when we played the way we wanted to play but they have got talent on that team.

“We are not going to show up and beat Nottingham, but, looking at the game, we hit the post twice and that could have been the game right there.

“We had chances but our power did not execute the way it has executed the last month. All in all, it was anybody’s game out there.”

He added: “I did not think we played poorly but we did not execute on our power play when we could have capitalised. Five-on-five we put some pressure on them at times, but we are not just going to blow them over.”

The Canadian described it as a competitive hockey game and and he added: “I do not believe we got any breaks but it was not due to any lack of effort on our team. We did not finish, we did not get enough guys to the net or get enough traffic in there.

“Not getting two points means we have 11 (points) out of 14 and we have four games to go. We will be giving it our best shot.”

PICTURE: Fife at Guildford earlier this season courtesy of the Elite League and taken by John Uwins

Dexter Lembikisa rifled home with his left foot as Jamacia edged Panama 1-0 in the third place play-off in the Concacaf Nations League in North America.

The sensational strike secured the bronze medal for the Reggae Boyz and helped, in part, to make up for their extra-time defeat in the semi-final to USA. 

London-born Lembikisa says he feels fine despite the long travel across the Atlantic for the international fixtures and he believes joining Hearts from Championship side Rotherham has really developed his game.

The defender was at South Yorkshire-based Rotherham on loan from Premiership combine Wolverhampton Wanderers before moving north of the Border and while Hearts sit comfortably in third spot in the cinch Premiership his former team, nicknamed The Millers, have been relegated from the second tier of English football.

It was a different issue there where defence was critical. Hearts are more attack minded, something Lembikisa enjoys, and the professional player now hopes for more game time before the end of the cinch Premiership to help improve his game even further.

Reflecting on his international strike which is currently playing on social media, the right back said the goal felt “amazing” and he added: “The space opened up for me to get into that pocket and I hit it. 

“I’ve not scored many before that but that was good, it was a good feeling and, 100 per cent, I want to add more goals to my game.

“I like to get forward, I like to take guys on and I like to score goals so, hopefully, I can continue doing that.”

Lembikisa made his debut for the Jam Tarts in late January at Tynecastle against Dundee, scoring after 74 minutes in a 3-2 success and the player said the overall experience at Tynecastle has been good.

He added: “I have really enjoyed it, the training and everything and it is going well. It is quite different from Rotherham because of the position the team were in. Hearts are definitely more attacking, putting pressure on other teams, and there it was a bit more defending.”

The physical aspect of the game at Rotherham, he argued, is similar to that in the cinch Premiership and he added: “It is physically demanding (here), running, competing.

“The most important thing (for me) is playing games because it is my first season playing professional football.”

Lembikisa is not sure about what will happen in the summer close season but he confirmed that Wolves, his parent club, do speak to him and the defender said: “They (Wolves) check up on me and tell me what I have been doing well and what I need to continue doing.

“They are definitely talking to me. I don’t want to know too much (about what will happen in the future). I just want to focus and perform and do what I can, but my game has definitely developed up here.

“I have improved technically and tactically and Naisey (Hearts head coach, Steven Naismith) has given me freedom to go inside and go outside and have a relationship with my winger.”

The player admitted that he sometimes feels the pressure from Hearts’ passionate support at Tynecastle but added: “It is a good type of pressure when the fans are trying to encourage you to play well and obviously they want you to do well. 

“I don’t feel it so much in away games. I just try to enjoy it and play football.” His one disappointment here is the weather, but the player said: “You have just got to get on with it.” He’s right. We do.

PICTURE: Dexter speaks to the written press at The Oriam. Picture Nigel Duncan  
 

EN-ABLE, an Edinburgh start-up specialising in helping non-native English-speaking entrepreneurs build brands for English-speaking markets, partnered with the Ukrainian Business Women’s Club to help members connect with local audiences.

The Ukrainian Business Women in Scotland (UBWIS) Club was founded by entrepreneur Anna Andriievska, who moved to Scotland shortly after the war broke out. 

After seeing the losses many of her peers faced due to being forced to flee and determined to support her community, Anna started a club where members could get the support needed to rebuild their businesses here.

The group is made up of entrepreneurs at different levels from different industries with the common goal of understanding the local market and being able to do business on Scottish soil. 

Passionate about connecting non-native English speakers with English-speaking markets, EN-ABLE co-founder couple Kitti Majorán and Paul Carson partnered with the UBWIS Club to support members in bridging the gap with local audiences. 

The partnership aims to educate and empower Ukrainian businesswomen so that their marketing messaging resonates with the local people, allowing them to build businesses more effectively in their new home. 

Through the partnership, EN-ABLE organises online and in-person workshops for the Club exploring different marketing and branding strategies that help members get seen and trusted by Scottish audiences. 

Most recently, the two organisations came together to discuss some of the best ways to engage English-speaking audiences in 2024. 

The workshop facilitated by EN-ABLE co-founder Kitti Majorán was a great success.

“Kitti isn’t just my go-to for branding; she’s become a friend to me. Her support and top-notch professional expertise for us, non-native English speakers, who’re starting businesses in the UK is absolutely invaluable and heartwarming. Kitti is not just inspiring, she’s someone you’re really glad to have met”. – commented UBWIS Club member and founder of Health Cultivated, Liubov Matvievskaia after the event.

“The presentation I attended was truly exceptional. It was a fantastic experience, with every piece of information presented in a compact and concise manner. What I would like to highlight, the Kitti’s ability to explain complex concepts in simple, easy-to-understand words. 

This made the information accessible to everyone in the audience, regardless of our level of experience. It was an enlightening and enjoyable experience that left a great impression.” – added another participant, Anna Petrova.

According to Kitti Majorán, the reason why these workshops are so important is that there is a wide gap between speaking a foreign language and being able to market in the same language effectively. 

Even people with great English skills often find it difficult to get the marketing messaging right, so having professional advice and insights can make all the difference to non-native English speakers’ business success.

The partnership will continue indefinitely to strengthen the businesses of these remarkable women wishing to contribute to the Scottish economy. 

Kitti Majorán is an award-winning brand strategist who founded EN-ABLE with her partner Paul Carson in early 2023.

Anna Andriievska is a Ukrainian entrepreneur and founder of the first Ukrainian Business Women in Scotland Club (UBWIS CLUB). She equally runs her own candle-making business, Anna Candles, where one of her designs – in the colours of the Ukrainian flag – raises money to support the Ukrainian volunteers. 

https://www.en-ableacademy.com/ 

Calls have been made for a national inquiry into  crumbling concrete – and national funding to solve the crisis.

Deans South campaigner Kerry Macintosh met with Aberdeen campaigners Hannah and Wilson Chowdhry this week, and said “we stand together”.

Home-owners affected by RAAC in West Lothian plan to meet in coming weeks ahead of a protest at the Civic Centre in Livingston.

Kerry has backed calls by Hannah Chowdhry to the Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove to set up a national fund to help home-owners.

Hannah and her father Wilson met with Kerry and home-owners from Craigshill and Bathgate in Livingston on Wednesday evening.

It came the day before the Chowdhrys led a protest march in Aberdeen of more than 100 home-owners affected by RAAC in the city.

In her letter to Michael Gove, Hannah said: “The burden placed on home-owners to bear the costs of inspections and potential repairs is not only unjust but also unsustainable.”

And she added: “Beyond mere statistics and budgetary constraints lie families, homes, and futures hanging precariously in the balance. We cannot allow bureaucratic red tape and political wrangling to obstruct us from taking decisive action and doing what is morally right. 

“Lives are in jeopardy, and struggling families are already grappling to make ends meet, burdened with tens of thousands in expenses to ensure their safety.

“Initiate a thorough public inquiry into the practices of local councils that precipitated the current RAAC crises.

“I urge you to remember that every policy decision and budgetary allocation directly impacts real people whose lives are profoundly affected. To turn a blind eye to their struggles or neglect our responsibilities as elected officials would be a betrayal of trust in our communities.”

Kerry told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It was brilliant to meet with  Hannah and Wilson. Hannah cannot believe what has happened to her, and Wilson really knows his stuff. I’m glad he reached out to me.”

She added: “We are standing together in Aberdeen and West Lothian, and with home-owners across Scotland. Home-owners should be supported on this.”

The Aberdeen campaigners have promised support at a forthcoming West Lothian protest set to follow public meetings in the communities affected including Craigshill, Broxburn and Bathgate.

Some of the campaigners joined Kerry for Wednesday night’s meeting with Wilson and Hannah.

Kerry told the LDRS: “This is just starting. I’m right up for this. The buck does not lie with home-owners. It lies with each council, with the Scottish Government and the UK government.

“We stand together as one group. We are in regular contact and collaborating with home-owners across Scotland. No home-owner should be out of pocket. You can see the anxiety and stress this is causing for many people, especially the elderly. This could be your mum and dad, your grandparents.”

“We want to make sure the right decisions are made for all.”

by Stuart Somerville Local Democracy Reporter

Parents have urged Edinburgh Council to halt “brutal” plans to phase out childcare places in private nurseries for people living outside the city. 

They warned that the move, which will affect commuters living in the Lothians and Fife, could cost families thousands and “increase the number of children growing up in poverty”. 

The City of Edinburgh Council said funded places will still be available in local authority-run nurseries for anyone affected. 

The change – taking effect from August – will only impact new placements, with existing funded children continuing to be supported. 

Council leader Cllr Cammy Day said it was unfortunately “no longer possible to justify paying private businesses  £1.2 million for cross boundary places when vacant spaces are available within the local  authority settings” due to a £6 million cut to the early years budget by The Scottish Government. 

Mum Fiona Donnachie, who lives in Winchburgh just a few miles from the local authority boundary and travels into Edinburgh for work, said if the cut goes ahead “I would need to consider my working hours”. 

She said due to “huge” waiting lists for private and independent nurseries in West Lothian getting a local funded place for her son Flynn would be unlikely and council-run options would not be able to provide the hours needed.

Ms Donnachie told the LDRS: “I’ve got a full time job, so it’s an added stress. I don’t know what we would do. My husband might have to drop a day [at work], or we might have to rely on the support of others which I don’t really want to do. 

“We couldn’t justify paying for him privately without that funding – we absolutely could not afford that. 

“They’re not thinking about children or working families, they’re thinking about numbers on a piece of paper. It feels quite brutal to me. It’s the wee kids being affected.

“I get we need to save money somewhere but they’re going for the most vulnerable in society, our wee kids who are in the most important years of their lives in upheaval.

“The waiting lists for private nurseries in West Lothian are huge, we had to wait months for Flynn to get a place in Edinburgh. He’s now settled and loves it and we’re going to have to pull him out of it.

“They’ve done no research into the spaces available. Really there should be a holistic approach and the Scottish Government should be looking at it for every council and seeing what they can do. If the money is coming from the Scottish Government it should be able to be distributed per child as opposed to per council, it just seems like a flawed system.”

Flora Ranachan, who lives “just on the other side of the boundary”, is also set to be impacted when her 15-month-old daughter turns three. 

She has launched a petition urging the council to scrap the proposal she says will “cause significant disruption to children who have to adapt to new childcare settings, as well as potentially increasing parents’ commute times” which has so far gathered 1,457 signatures. 

She said waiting lists in West Lothian are “horrendous,” adding: “They’re often into 2025 so God knows how you’re supposed to obtain a space. The only one we could get was in Edinburgh. 

Foregoing funding and keeping her daughter where she is would cost around £8,000 a year whilst moving to a council nursery would add 30 miles to her commute every week, she said. 

“We shouldn’t have to do that or change nurseries in the year before school which is a really important developmental year. 

“It would also significantly increase my commute and that’s if we are able to find a space – and that’s an incredibly big if.

“I feel this is quite a worrying precedent that if Edinburgh Council progress this other councils may follow suit.

“It’s either going to affect us financially by increasing our bills or I reduce my hours at work and it affects us financially that way, and it also would have an impact on my career. 

“I don’t actually understand why this would save Edinburgh Council money, I really don’t. It’s such a short-sighted measure that it’s maybe been a bit of a knee jerk reaction to save some funding.

“It’s a real step backwards, it’s going to exclude people from the workforce, increase the number of children growing up in poverty and ultimately it takes choices away from parents.”

Councillor Day said: “Unfortunately, due to the £6m reduction in our early years budget  allocation from the Scottish Government, and the additional costs of £4.5m for the 7%  annual increase in places in private provider settings since August 2021 (from 35% in our  early learning and childcare (ELC) delivery plan to 42%), it is no longer possible to justify paying private businesses £1.2m for cross boundary places when vacant spaces are available within the local  authority settings. 

“We therefore need to ensure best value in line with our original ELC delivery plan for 1140 hours. 

“We will continue to fund existing cross boundary places in private settings but will phase  this option out from August 2024. 

“Existing funded children who are not Edinburgh residents  will continue to be funded. If they have a younger sibling who attends the setting and will  be eligible for funding during session 2024-25, we will also fund this child to prevent the  need for the parent to use more than one ELC setting. 

“Parents who are not Edinburgh residents and require full day all year-round provision to work in the city will be able to  access this in one of our full year 8am – 6pm local authority settings. If they need additional hours beyond their funded entitlement, they will also be able to purchase these from a local authority setting.”

by Donald Turvill, Local Democracy Reporter

Scotland’s Easter is a modest affair compared with other countries.

It’s largely confined to formal church services and Easter egg hunts at visitor attractions. It’s as if we are not sure we should be celebrating this Christian festival when there are so many non-Christian and non-religious groups around.  And the Church of Scotland, being Presbyterian, is not noted for its flamboyance.

Our only outdoor Passion Play takes place in Princes Street gardens here in Edinburgh. This year the play has a new script, highlighting the role of woman in the crucifixion story. But after 20 years, it seems this might be the last production. The organisers say sponsors these days are less willing to support religious events. In particular the play has fallen victim to the cuts being made by the government’s arts agency, Creative Scotland.  

It’s all part of the “culture wars” which are marring this joyful Eastertide. This week The Scottish Parliament has stirred the cauldron with two pieces of contentious legislation. The first is the Hate Crime Act which comes into effect on 1 April – which opponents unkindly point out is April Fool’s Day.  

This law extends the existing offence of “stirring up hatred” on the grounds of race,  to include a list of new “protected characteristics” – age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and transgender identity.  In this list of fashionable sensitivities, the wonder is it doesn’t include misogyny. No doubt this will come at a later stage, as we dive deeper into the details of our cultural misunderstandings and intolerances.  

Already, people are asking questions about the new law’s practicality.  How are the police to judge whether a remark or speech or an on-line comment “stirs up hatred”?  Will their time be wasted investigating trivial or vexatious complaints? The Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser says he’s already had his name recorded by the police for an on-line post in which he remarked: “Choosing to identify as non-binary is as valid as choosing to identify as a cat.”     

And don’t the courts already exercise their wisdom in sentencing offenders brought before them for breach of the peace or assault? If any crime is “aggravated” by a nasty motivation, it will be more severely punished.

The second piece of legislation likely to stir up divisions is the Assisted Dying Bill being introduced by the Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur from Orkney. He says the public mood has changed on this issue in recent years and there is now a large majority of people in favour of allowing “assisted dying”. But religious groups and palliative care providers are opposed to the Bill, saying it will pressurise vulnerable people into ending their lives.

The Bill does contain safeguards: only adults diagnosed with a terminal illness would be permitted to self-administer a prescribed fatal dose of medicine and their condition and mental state would have to be verified by two doctors.  But there is likely to be a soul-searching, and at times tense, national debate over the issue in the coming months.

It’s worth pointing out too that these moral debates are going on at a time when there are many other divisive issues on our minds – the transition to a low carbon economy, the state of the public services, the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Then there’s the big divide over “independence” – to go it alone or not. And all this in the hurly burly of an election campaign for the Westminster parliament. 

To set this modern uneasiness in a historic context, we have our Stone of Destiny, which this weekend goes on permanent display in a new £27m museum in the former town house in Perth.  What debates has it heard in its 1300 years as our national talisman?

And as for Easter, that goes back to St Columba’s missionary journey to Iona in the 6^th century.  This week we learned something new about one of his followers, St Moulag, whose monastery was lost for hundreds of years but has now been found. The Historical Society on the island of Lismore off Oban have released the results of their excavations in a soggy field next to the parish church. They’ve found clear evidence of a stone building dating back to the 7^th century, along with a workshop making articles from metal, stone, wood, bone and antler.

The fact that Christianity is still part of mosaic of beliefs in Scotland is a story of the triumph of hope over battered experience.  Perhaps we may allow ourselves to hope that our nation of 5.4 million souls will survive the cultural wars that divide us. 

Frankie Kent returns to the Hearts squad ahead the visit of Kilmarnock after hobbling out of the Capital derby with arch rivals Hibs last month.

Thankfully, there was no long-term damage and time has been a healer.

Steven Naismith, the club’s Head coach, also confirmed that Calem Nieuwenhof is back but said that Craig Halkett and Peter Haring have had some surgery.

Liam Boyce is continuing his re-habilitation and is on the pitch doing some running and Finlay Pollock is back training with the group and everybody else is fit.

The coach also said that all his international players have returned and are feeling good despite the travel and they training at Riccarton on Friday.

He added: “Quite a few of them have gone away and enhanced their position in the squads. They are all at different stages. Kye (Rowles) scored his first goal (for Australia), Kenneth (Vargas) is just getting into the team and Shanks (Lawrence Shankland) starting for Scotland, Dexter (Lembikisa) scoring as well, so there are loads of positives for them individually. We are pleased they are back fit and ready to go.”

Naismith said the players who stayed had home had a break but returned for some tough days and a match against Dundee and he added: “Frankie and Calem have been two really consistent performers for us so the bigger picture is that it creates competition for places. The squad is looking quote healthy.

“It is good to have a break and to get the last international out of the way and then you focus on what is, inevitably, the most important part of the season.

“It is now we get into the period and we see what each result can do for us. We need to focus on that and we have a semi-final coming up in this block which is really important.

“Healthy squad, competition and it is an enjoyable time. The weather turns and all the rewards for a hard, successful season are there for you to enjoy if you do it properly.”

That could be kick-started by a home victory over Kilmarnock who are fourth in the cinch Premiership with 44 points, 11 points behind the Jambos who are in third spot. 

PICTURE: Frankie Kent pictured just before he was injured against Hibs. Picture David Mollison

Surgeon’s Quarter hosts 300 of the world’s leading medical professionals.

More than 300 of the world’s leading medical professionals came to Scotland’s capital for The British Orthopaedic Trainees Association (BOTA) Annual Congress.

The three-day gathering was held across multiple venues at Surgeons Quarter, the commercial arm of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, with this year’s theme focusing on careers and development.

More than 300 orthopaedic specialists from across the globe registered for this year’s event, BOTA’s second-ever hybrid international conference.

Education Representative of BOTA, Abhinav Singh said: “Our annual Congress has become a hugely anticipated event; from our founding 45 senior registrars to the current number of over 1500 mem-bers, the event is a testament to our strong and successful community.

“The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an integral part of Scotland’s rich medical history, and hosting our event at Surgeons Quarter was the perfect backdrop for professionals in orthopaedics to connect and help build a stronger, more cohesive community.

“BOTA’s conference is the largest orthopaedic trainee event in the UK, and last year’s Congress was our second-ever worldwide hybrid event, which was a major success.”

Lauded keynote speaker Professor Rowan Parks, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, headlined the opening session sharing wisdom garnered over his extensive career and how to be an effective trainer.

André Soromenho, Business Support and Events Manager, said: “This is the second time we’ve hosted the BOTA Annual Congress in person – first was in 2018, so we are delighted that they re-turned for a second time.

“Hosting events like the BOTA Annual Congress is a true privilege for us at Surgeons Quarter. Bringing together such an esteemed group of medical professionals from around the world aligns with our mission to helping advance surgical education though providing support and training.

“Being able to witness the growth of the BOTA and being able to play a small role in its congress as it supports it members in the development of their career paths is brilliant.”

Surgeons Quarter also hosted BOTA’s Postgrad Course and Bootcamp virtually in July 2021.

Profits from the Surgeons Quarter portfolio go towards the advancement of surgery and the im-provement of patient outcomes worldwide.

Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells, and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd cam-pus. It includes facilities for conferences, meetings, private events, parties, weddings and its own four-star hotel Ten Hill Place as well as Café 1505 and SQ Travel.

https://www.surgeonsquarter.com/

When around 30 people from Craigroyston Primary School had to travel to the west coast to go to school camp, the first thought was to do the same thing as they had always done before and go by coach, and so a coach was duly booked.

Then the pupils found out that head teacher, Rebecca Favier, (who had to come back to Edinburgh mid-week for duties at school) was planning on travelling to and from Benmore using her electric car. This made them think of their own journey and how they would travel.

The council’s Benmore centre is near Dunoon and offers city children the chance to try all sorts of outdoor activities such as abseiling, canoeing hillwalking and sailing. Set in Argyll Forest the centre is near Loch Eck on the Cowal Peninsula and it is 120 miles away or 2 hours 41 minutes by car.

On the council’s Outdoor Learning website instructions on how to get to the outdoor learning centre include advice to use sat nav. It is a remote location eventually entered through the Botanical Gardens.

After investigation and a lot of discussion the pupils and staff then decided that to go by train and ferry would be a more environmentally friendly journey.

The 29 pupils and four members of staff then booked and travelled to Benmore by train and ferry. (Sadly the return journey had to be by coach as timings just did not work). For some pupils it was the first time they had been on a train and for others it was their first experience of a boat. They all enjoyed the journey for different reasons, but the main one was to do something about climate change which they have been learning about.

Head teacher Rebecca said: “The pupils plan to feed back to the government about how easy the travel was and also recommend any improvements to the infrastructure as part of real action to make real change based on their real experiences)…  

“Staff and pupils are increasingly aware of their impact on the environment when travelling for learning experiences. Some of the pupils became very interested in my using an electric car and this led to them asking about using an electric bus to get to camp.

“We got really good support from our outdoor learning service. And they offered us a tool where we could input different methods of travel, and work out how many emissions we could potentially save.

“I would say it was really worthwhile for two main reasons. One of the reasons was just that the children loved being on the train and the ferry – it didn’t take us any longer to get there. We went a completely different way, and what an amazing experience. The second reason is that, actually it brought the learning in the classroom into the real world. And it’s about saying actually we don’t just learn about these things in books or on iPads, and that actually we can all do something that makes a big difference.”

The itinerary:

–              pupils and accompanying staff caught the 9:57 train, changing at Glasgow Central and arriving at Gourock Train Station/ Ferry Terminal at 12:26pm

–              pupils and accompanying staff then took the 1.20pm passenger ferry from Gourock to Dunoon

–              the pupils and accompanying staff were met by Benmore staff at Dunoon Ferry Terminal

Joshua said: “our work could trigger a chain reaction and we hope other schools will follow our example”

Wasif said : “it’s a good idea because its less pollution and we need to act now to save our planet”

Charlotte said : “this is a small action for big problem”

Anmol said : “if we don’t take these types of actions our planet won’t be the same. We studied the pollution that we are causing to our planet”

Ruth said : “we are setting an example to younger pupils to inspire them to be climate warriors”

Taylor said: “I was excited to travel by train and ferry because its different – no one really does this for school trips- it was a great experience”

Support The Edinburgh Reporter

Our April paper will be available in some outlets from today and others such as libraries from Saturday as they are closed today for Good Friday.

If you would like to ensure that you get your own copy then please sign up by clicking on the image below.

Edinburgh Science Festival

This begins on Saturday and runs until 14 April

Edinburgh Science Festival  
30 Mar – 14 Apr  
10.00 – 5.00, with some events after 5.00pm
Book via Edinburgh Science’s website  

This is the start of two weeks of science-fuelled exploration at the National Museum of Scotland, from free interactive exhibits to family workshops and adult talks and events. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/sciencefestival  

Some Science Festival events also take place at the City Art Centre. The full programme is here.

It’s all go at Edinburgh City Libraries this Easter

Although the libraries are closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday some will be open on Saturday – it is best to check the individual library’s Facebook page.

At Corstorphine Library for example the library staff are putting on many activities from Tuesday onwards. Check out your local library for things to do.

Vegetables for less than 20 pence…

The lovely people at Dumbiedykes Matters have compiled a list of supermarkets where anyone can buy vegetables for less than 20 pence. The information comes from Money Saving Central which the group write about often. Do let us know if you manage to bag some carrots!

Hugo Burge Foundation Visual Arts Residency

Hugo Burge was turning Marchmont House into an arts venue before his sudden death. Now the foundation set up in his name is offering a residency for a “visual artist working with any medium who has an interest in art as activism and whose work advocates for social, political, environmental, or cultural change”.

The residency will offer a period of self-directed research and development followed by the opportunity to exhibit the resultant work in the Summerhall Galleries between December this year and February 2025.

It is a fully funded residency that includes exclusive studio space in the large Old Squash Court studio, accommodation in one of Summerhall’s Hobbit Pods, and a weekly stipend of £350 which will be paid to the artist at the start of the residency.

More information on the Summerhall website. Deadline is 15 May.

Visitors to Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura & World of Illusions can follow in the Easter Egg Bunny’s paw prints and visit the attraction’s rooftop terrace for a selfie with Edinburgh Castle, just one of the many photo opportunities available.

From this Friday 29 March families (and big kids too!) can enjoy an Easter trail around the five floors of the attraction, hunting to find the colourful bunny rabbits lost among 100 interactive exhibits. A sweet treat reward is available to all taking part. 

Themed decorations and seasonal projections will be hatching out everywhere and the panoramic Rooftop Terrace remains open all year. Only the bravest can walk through the swirling Vortex Tunnel or find their way out of the magical Mirror Maze.

Voted the best Visitor Attraction Experience in Edinburgh and Lothians at the 2023 Scottish Thistle Awards, the attraction continues to offer fun-filled experiences visitors of all ages can enjoy.

Open every day during the Easter holiday, 8am-10pm from 29 March-13 April. Book tickets online at www.camera-obscura.co.uk. Early-bunnies get 20% off tickets during the holiday for entry before 9am when booked in advance online.